Sunday, June 22, 2003

EDUCATION PAVILION
Show Floor

Learn the secrets of successful entrepreneurs whose companies are thriving and discover new strategies that will muscle-up your marketing and advertising efforts. Take advantage of three days of free sessions that will energize your business by increasing your flow of beverage dollars and learn new ways to boost your bottom-line.

11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Texas Beef Council: Beef Adds Value to Your Menu
Session in the Culinary Showcase
Joe Depippo will introduce “Beef Value Cuts,” specifically highlighting the Flat Iron Steak and the Shoulder Tender Steak and he will discuss opportunities for chefs to create unique dishes and restaurateurs to highlight them on their menus. Hear Jeff Chandler, RAM Intl CEO, share his own success story in promoting Flat Iron Steak, which he has developed for multiple restaurant concepts. RAM Corporate Chef, James Cassidy or Humperdink’s Regional Chef, Hau Lan will be on hand demonstrating one of their own Flat Iron menu items and providing samples for the audience. Also, Banger Smith, President of Menus for Profit, will showcase how Flat Iron Steak can be profitable by analyzing distinct ways of featuring it on your own menu.

12:15 – 1:15 p.m. Restaurant Wine Pricing Strategies That Work
Speaker: Mark Vaughan
Wine list pricing remains one of the thorniest issues facing beverage managers nationwide: Price too high and wine sales drop, price too low and profits plummet. Join Mark Vaughan, Editor and Publisher of Sante’, and a panel of top restaurant beverage managers for a lively discussion on wine pricing strategies that can please customers and boost profits.

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Growth Strategies - A Management Exploration on Expansion
Moderator: Chris Tripoli, President, A'la Carte Foodservice Consulting Group
Panelists: Banger Smith, President, Menus For Profit Inc.
Jay Goldstein, President, A’la Carte Foodservice Consulting Group
Gary Turner, President, Hospitality Pro Search
Join Chris Tripoli, President of Ala Carte Consulting, as he leads a panel of experts on all aspects of expansion. The panel will look at the question…”I have a successful restaurant, now what?” Key areas of exploration will include: Human resources…Finding the right team, how to train and retain key staff needed to replicate a concept. Pre-opening process management…How long do things take and why do they cost more than we think? Financial considerations…Developing your capital budget and financial projections. If you are expanding and wanting your managers to be ready for the challenges that lie ahead this session will be invaluable.

2:45 – 3:45 p.m. The CEO Exchange Panel Discussion
Moderator: Gary Hoover, Founder & CEO of Hoovers Online.
Back by popular demand, this panel led by Gary Hoover will provide an opportunity for the CEO’s to exchange thoughts and concerns of being on top. Gary has been the CEO of leading innovative companies several times over. Everyone seems to be better than the next. Join him as he moderates a discussion with other leaders in our own industry. This is a must for all CEO’s as you navigate the waters of today’s economy.

4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Great Sales – Building Ideas That Will Keep You On Top,
During a Volatile Economy
Speaker: Joel Cohen, President, Cohen Marketing Group
In a fast paced idea-filled session, RestaurantMarketing.com’s Joel Cohen quizzes some of the area’s top restaurant owners on their most successful sales building ideas and programs that work best in a turbulent and volatile economy. And here’s our guarantee: You’ll walk out of this session with at least 5 ideas you can implement tonight!